One Man's Perspective on Hurricane Katrina
By Dave Thomas
Friday, Oct. 28 - Our first order of business this morning was a phone interview with Mississippi Insurance Commissioner George Dale. Dale spoke to us for about 20 minutes and we covered a lot of ground. I was somewhat amazed when I tossed Dale a compliment about the many good things I had heard about his office from several Mississippi residents we talked with. Dale responded by saying he'd have to take some issue with that. He told me that his office had never received as much negative mail before as they had with Katrina. After our interview, we prepared to check out of the hotel. One of the employees and I began chatting about what we were doing there. I informed her we were in town because it was the closest available hotel and we had been filming in Louisiana and Mississippi the last three days. What about Alabama? Were we going to talk about what parts of the state had been through? I had her direct us to the Grand Bay/Bayou La Batre area. A big shrimping area, boats had been flipped over like they were little toys. Although the house damage wasn't as bad as the other two states, it was obvious Katrina had paid the area a visit. We then began the drive back to New Orleans for our final 24 hours. Later that day, we met up with Mark Moon of Crawford & Co. in Chalmette, Louisiana. He would tell us about his experiences as a claims adjuster the last few weeks and put us in touch with a couple who had lost several properties. The couple, both in their 60s, were the kind of people you would want for your next door neighbors. The woman broke down several times during our on-camera interview. We were able to finish the interview and told her to stop apologizing for breaking down. What she and her neighbors had been through was something you wouldn't even wish on your worst enemy. As the sun began to set, we shot some more video of the surrounding neighborhoods and could only hope and pray that this area comes back. We did manage to take in a nice dinner and some of the sights of Bourbon Street that evening. One of the bartenders told us about some of what she had seen and heard in the days following the levees breaking. Safe to say, New Orleans was not a safe place for those days, even for authorities.
Slideshows
Alabama
Chalmette, Louisiana
New Orleans, Downtown
New Orleans, Edgewood Park
New Orleans, Florida Avenue
New Orleans, French Quarter
New Orleans, Marginy
New Orleans, Pontchartrain
New Orleans, Upper Ninth Ward
Louisiana Road Shots
Slidell, Louisiana
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
This Feature Is Brought to You By ING Direct
Videos
The Claims Keep Growing
Crawford & Company adjuster Mark Moon plans to be in the greater New Orleans area for some time to come, helping Katrina victims with their claims. Moon discusses the claims process and some of the challenges he faces in assisting residents.
Homes Destroyed One After Another
Chalmette, Louisiana resident Judy Lunt and her husband, Charles, could only look on in disbelief when they viewed what was left of their rental properties on one block in this Louisiana neighborhood. Lunt's tragedy was made worse by an apparent arson of the properties weeks after Katrina hit.
A Fight for Survival
Ninth Ward of New Orleans resident Louis Legier, 80, and his 88-year-old cousin made a mad dash for a nearby school as Katrina's flood waters swamped their street. Legier and his cousin survived, but his house didn't.
A Neighborhood Destroyed
Insurance Journal Online Editor Dave Thomas shows the destruction that hit one Ninth Ward block of homes, along with the neighborhood school, as Katrina roared into town. Few buildings, cars and other property escaped.
Many Years of Memories
In the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, resident Louis Legier discusses the devastation Katrina wreaked on his home. For Legier, life goes on and he will not let this storm ruin him.
Taking it Personally
Mississippi insurance agent Aulton Vann knows all too well what his policyholders are going through as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Vann's agency was damaged by flooding and he and his family lost their home overlooking the Gulf. Like many in Mississippi, though, Vann is determined to rebuild.
Hitting Home for This Agent
Mississippi independent insurance agent Aulton Vann vows to rebuild his home. The Pascagoula resident lost his family home which overlooked the Gulf. Vann talks about the loss of the property and the neighborhood he has called home for so many years.
Knowing the Agony of Policyholders
Like other Mississippi independent insurance agents, Dave Treutel knows what his policyholders are going through. Treutel talks from what was his own property and how much work is necessary to rebuild his family home. While the home is still standing, it is months away from being inhabitable again.
In Survival Mode
Mississippi insurance agent Dave Treutel knows it could have been even worse, and for Treutel and his family, it was pretty bad. While he currently runs his insurance business out of a trailer, Treutel's home and business suffered major damage from Hurricane Katrina. Like many in the Bay St. Louis community, Treutel will pick up the pieces and rebuild in the area he calls home.
Firefighters Answer Call to Duty
For Gulfport Deputy Fire Chief Derek Ladner (Fire Station #7), Hurricane Katrina was like nothing he and his co-workers had ever seen before. With their station damaged by the storm, the men and women from #7 spent a number of harrowing days searching for survivors and doing whatever they could to assist people. Like many in Gulfport, Ladner knows there is much rebuilding work ahead, but it is a job he would not trade for anything.
Katrina Brings Life to a Halt in Mississippi
As Insurance Journal Online Editor Dave Thomas discovered in several Mississippi towns along the coast, Katrina spared just about no one. While some buildings were left standing in some shape, Katrina leveled others and unfortunately took lives with her.
Mississippi Big "I" Answers the Calls for Help
Mississippi Big "I" President Richard Davis had seen storms before, but never of the magnitude of Katrina. Davis talked with Insurance Journal in Bay St. Louis about the Association's efforts to reach out to agents across the state.
Going the Extra Mile Following Katrina
Mississippi insurance agent Scott Naugle probably never dreamed he'd one day be working out of a tent on a busy street corner selling insurance. Naugle, like many other Magnolia State businessowners, was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. With his staff working within tight confines outside to meet the needs of their policyholders, Naugle spoke with Insurance Journal about the challenges he and his co-workers have faced, the personal losses of many Mississippi residents and more.
In the Storm
"HurricaneNow.com's Jeff Flock reports from a parking garage in downtown New Orleans at the height of Hurricane Katrina." Watch Now
Visit HurricaneNow.com for more exciting video coverage of Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita.
Satellite Photos
Amazing satellite imagery of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, before and after Hurricane Katrina.
View Satellite Photos Gallery
Highly recommended: Download an analysis of New Orleans hurricane images (PDF)
provided by
